Steven Hutchinson - Videographer for Digital Content

My friend Ste came to Japan this year to make videos for YouTube with the company he works for. I have been friends with Steven since we were about 5 years old. We were in two bands togther (Ste the singer and me on guitar) when we were younger.

He travelled to Tokyo for a week and I went to visit him for a day. After he got back to the UK I sent him some questions about his experience. His answers were quite surprising for me and very interesting.

I hope you enjoy the read!

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Hey, Ste. How's it going?

All good thanks. You?

Pretty good. What is your job? And how long have you done it?

I'm a videographer. I film and edit videos for a social media company in the UK. I've been doing it for five years.

Why did you come to Japan?

I came to Japan with work to film at the Formula E race and also to shoot some videos around Tokyo for our pages on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

Did you watch the Formula E race? How was it?

The Fomula E race was exciting! I've never been to watch a car racing event before so it was a new experience which I enjoyed a lot!

How did you feel when you first arrived in Tokyo?

I felt exhausted – it was a 15 hour journey! When we got to the airport we were surprised by the efficiency and speed we were able to get through customs. When we were travelling to our hotel I was blown away by the size of the city and how impressive it looked.

What was your first impression of Japan?

The people are very polite and helpful. It struck me how respectful everyone seems of each other. I also noticed how clean the streets were!

What fun things did you do?

We went up the Sky Tree and were able to see just how big and beautiful Tokyo is. I ate lots of really nice food including ramen and sashimi. I met up with my friend Chris who I've not seen for a long time and he took me to various parts of the city, visiting lots of wonderful shops!

What places did you visit in Tokyo?

I went all around central Tokyo, including Shinjuku, Shibuya, and a huge park where we saw cherry blossoms.

Was there anywhere you wanted to go but didn’t get time?

I would have liked to visit the gardens at the Imperial Palace and would have also liked to visit Mount Fuji.

What was good about Tokyo? Did your coworkers also like it?

My coworkers really enjoyed Tokyo. I thought the food was great, and the people where friendly.

What was not good about Tokyo?

There are very few bins so we had to spend many of our days carrying our litter with us!

What was strange about Tokyo?

Some people have an unusual dress sense, but there's nothing wrong with that. It was great to see how people express themselves through their clothes and hairstyles.

What was very different about Tokyo?

Almost everything - in a good way!

Did you see anything in Tokyo that you have never seen before in your life?

A vending machine that serves edible bugs.

Did anything make you feel uncomfortable?

No. Tokyo feels very safe and the people are polite and helpful.

What food did you like?

I liked the ramen and sushi that I had, and I had an excellent wagyu beef burger. My favourite meal was katsu steak.

What food didn’t you like?

I tried chicken liver and chicken hearts which I wasn't very keen on.

Did you, or your coworkers, make any cultural faux pas while in Japan?

I think the only thing we may have done was eating in the street, which we were told that not many people do.

Was anything easier than expected?

Travelling on the metro was much easier than expected. The metro system is also very efficient, cheap and always on time, unlike the UK! Also communicating with people despite a language barrier was easier than I had expected.

Was anything more difficult than expected?

I honestly can't think of anything!

What Japanese words do you remember?

I used these words a lot: Konichiwa, Sumimasen, Arigato, and Onegaishimasu.

Did you buy any souvenirs? (for friends, family or yourself)

I bought a T-shirt for myself and one for my brother.

Will you come to Japan again?

I would love to come to Japan again. It was an amazing trip.

Where do you want to go if you come to Japan again?

Definitely Tokyo again, but I would also like to see the countryside. I'd also like to visit Chris in Niigata.

What do you want to do if you come to Japan again?

I'd like to explore more of the country and learn more about its long history.

Will you recommend Japan to your friends?

I would definitely recommend Japan to my friends.

What advice will you give to friends that want to come and visit?

Make the most of it and enjoy yourselves!

What was the highlight of the trip?

Eating amazing food and singing karaoke!

What is your favourite memory of being in Tokyo?

Driving through Tokyo when we first arrived - seeing the huge skyscrapers and driving across the Rainbow Bridge.

What was the funniest moment in your time in Tokyo?

Going into a public bathroom that speaks to you and plays your favourite music!

Now shifting to your job and career, what did you study at university?

I studied film production at university.

What skills are necessary for your job?

Creativity, photographic skills, or a 'visual eye', communication and technical skills.

Did studying help you get the skills for your job? Or was prior experience more important?

A bit of both. My university course certainly set me on the right path and I learned a lot about editing and camera work but experience working in videography and learning from others while working is where I developed my skills, which allowed me to get my current job.

How did you get your job?

I saw a job advert on LinkedIn. As part of the recruitment process I had to edit a video from existing footage in the style of their video content.

You have been working for that company for 5 years, how long have you been making videos (professionaly and not)?

I've been making videos for about 18 years professionally, but I've been making videos and silly films since I was a child! (Chris do you remember 'The Tremendous Two'? hahaha) [Chris: The Tremendous Two was a video we made with friends when we were in elementary school. I was the badguy and Ste and another friend were the "Tremendous Two"!]

What is the best part of your job?

Every day is different, I get to travel a lot and be creative on many different projects.

What is the worst part of your job?

I sometimes have to drive long distances to a shoot location, but I've always done that, so I'm used to it.

How many videos do you work on at any one time?

I typically shoot about two or three times a week in our studio and I'm currently working on two edits for big projects.

How did you get interested in making videos?

Playing with camcorders as a child, I've always been interested in film making.

I know you love movies, who are some of your favourite movie makers?

David Lynch, Stanley Kubrick, The Coen Brothers ( I could go on!) - Also British film makers Alex Garland, Danny Boyle and Ben Wheatley. I also love Japanese cinema.

What movie came closest to being perfectly filmed/edited?

Lawrence of Arabia is definitely one of the best examples of this.

What advice would you give to inspiring videographers?

Make your own videos - phones have great cameras now and you can make really good videos without spending too much money. The more you make, the better you'll get at it. Also watch what other film makers/videographers are doing to get inspired.

What are some things to think about when trying to get videos seen by many people?

Make your videos interesting and fun to watch - be creative with the camera - think about your angles, lighting and sound. Learn how to edit to make your videos snappy, have impact and keep people watching.

Do you think it is easier or more difficult to get a job like yours now versus 20 years ago?

There are more jobs in video production these days than 20 years ago, however there is a lot of competition as more people choose to go into that line of work these days.

Is your job your dream job? If not, what is your dream job?

I do feel like I have my dream job. I film and edit films and videos, which is what I've always wanted to do! 

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Thank you very much to Ste. I really enjoyed reading his answers. He is a fascinating person and I don't feel like I talk to him about his work enough. I learned a few things from these questions! I think he has a lot of good advice for people who want to make videos/films.

Thanks for reading this interview. I hope to get lots more interesting interviews with some cool people!